Priorities

Priorities

Adequate Funding for our Schools

It is imperative that we find a way to adequately and permanently fund our schools. Harrisburg plays a huge role in this. Unfortunately, proper education funding has been neglected, ignored and under funded for way too long. In the Senate, it will be my priority to reverse this course and give every school the resources they need.

Protecting the Middle Class & Growing the Economy

I will fight for better wages for our middle class and working class families. For years income growth for the middle class has been stagnant while the income levels of the ultra-wealthy continues to soar to record heights. As the cost of living continues to rise more middle class American families are forced to work long hours, and have dual income households just to make ends meet. As a working mom who raised three children I know the challenges families today face and I will work to stand up for those families in Harrisburg.

Fighting for Equal Rights for Women

Women’s rights have been denied and eroded in Pennsylvania for way too long. Women still make less money and have fewer protections, and our ability to have access to proper healthcare is constantly under attack. These are issues that don’t only affect women, they affect every family. We can and must do a better job at making sure women’s voices are heard and advocated for in Bucks County and across the state of Pennsylvania.

Addressing the Opioid Crisis

Tina is at the forefront of legislative and local efforts to combat the terrible opioid epidemic gripping our nation. Her district has been deeply affected by opioid addiction and many of her neighbors and constituents have asked for help as this awful plague touches their lives.

One of the issues confronting Bucks County is the proliferation of recovery homes. While many are run by well-regarded operators, some are run by less scrupulous persons seeking to cash in on the opioid epidemic.Tina spearheaded efforts to improve and properly regulate drug recovery homes and work with good recovery home operators to improve the industry as a whole. She helped organize a coalition of drug recovery professionals, law enforcement officials, recovering addicts, and many families affected by this epidemic. Everyone agreed that drug recovery homes needed better regulation, proper supervision, and follow-up with addicts to ensure these homes provided the proper environment necessary for recovery.

Tina authored groundbreaking legislation which was taken up and later adopted by the State Senate and signed into law by Governor Tom Wolf. This legislation is just one step of a longer effort by law enforcement, the recovery community, government, and our families to address opioids.

Labor

Tina believes every worker has the right to organize. Unions promote the American dream and are essential to building the middle class by establishing good paying jobs with benefits and safe working conditions. Unions are under attack in Harrisburg and Tina will continue to be a strong ally in support of key worker protections including:

Wage Theft Protections — Unfortunately, some unscrupulous employers steal from their employees. Minimum wage violations, unpaid overtime, illegal paycheck deductions, tip skimming, and other violations are rampant in some industries, especially those where workers are less likely to stand up for themselves. Tina supports legislation to crack down on these violations and advocates better enforcement of current laws.

Worker Misclassification — Tina will fight worker misclassification where employees are characterized as independent contractors so corporations can avoid paying overtime and other rights and benefits, like workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance. In our current gig economy where many workers have second and third jobs, this problem is rampant.

Equal Pay and Stopping Harassment

Tina believes no one should be treated differently whether it’s according to race, gender, sexual orientation, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, or disability. Tina has stood against harassment and unequal treatment of workers.